Whimsical Art at TAP

Third Avenue Playhouse’s Lobby Gallery will feature the works of Pat Olson throughout December.

Olson is a Door County native and nationally-known artist, author, teacher, designer and business owner. She’s been creating art her entire life. In the 1960s she started painting seriously and showing her work. In the 1970s she owned a retail art business showing her work and the work of others. At about this time she was to write a how-to instruction book on how to paint her whimsical art. This turned into a long relationship writing more than 100 instruction books and magazine articles. She traveled all over the United States teaching and demonstrating her techniques. This led to signing with an international commercial licensing agency, designing for the gift market which she did for 10 years. She also had a long relationship with Better Homes and Gardens working on special publications.

Santa by Pat Olson.

Olson is now retired from all commercial work and is concentrating on fine art and plein air painting in acrylics, pastels, oil pastels and oils.

She has been juried into shows at the Hardy Gallery in Ephraim, the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay, and the Secura Insurance Show in Appleton. Her work can be seen frequently at fairs and at the Wisconsin Arts Gallery in Green Bay and at Meadows Gallery in Sister Bay. She has a working studio located in the back of Artist Guild on Third Avenue in Sturgeon Bay.

Olson’s artwork is on display in the lobby of the Third Avenue Playhouse through Dec. 31 and during the run of The Santaland Diaries. For more information visit thirdavenueplayhouse.com.